Cincinnati Reds notes: 'Any spark we can get we're taking right now'

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) watches the game from the dugout in the third inning during the National League baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, April 12, 2018, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. (Photo: Kareem Elgazzar)

Anything that slightly resembles some momentum will work. If they find it, the Reds will have to cling to it to stay afloat after a 2-11 start and a current six-game losing streak going into Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park.

"This game is big-time a game of momentum," said veteran reliever Jared Hughes. "Any spark we can get we're taking right now. It's time to change some momentum in our favor."

For the players on the disabled list, the slow start is doubly painful because there's not much they can do about it, other than practice positivity.

While left-hander Brandon Finnegan was activated Saturday from the disabled list – as right-hander Zack Weiss was optioned to Triple-A Louisville – to make his first major league start since June last year, right-hander Michael Lorenzen is still working his way off the disabled list after suffering a teres major strain.

"I feel like I can throw all day, but they won't let me," Lorenzen said.

While Reds manager Bryan Price said Lorenzen has been "throwing and feeling great," he's being cautious with the 26-year-old.

"He's not cleared to get off the mound yet," Price said, adding that Lorenzen will have a follow-up MRI early next week to make sure the injury is completely healed.

It's not the first time the team has seen an injury like Lorenzen's. Finnegan and former Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto also have suffered from the strain or similar injuries, so Price knows it has to completely heal before he ramps up the workload on Lorenzen.

"A setback with that – as we saw what happened with Finnegan last year – was really detrimental to his ability to compete at all," Price said. "So we'll do everything we can before we get (Lorenzen) on the mound to verify he's healthy."

While Lorenzen knows the healing process can't be rushed, he's doing everything he can to try to return to the field as soon as possible.

"I'm trying to push what the typical recovery time is for an injury like this," Lorenzen said. "I'm trying to come back sooner than I was supposed to come back ... to compete with my teammates and help them win some baseball games."

INJURED IN THE OUTFIELD

The Reds started the season with plans of a rotating four-man outfield that included Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall, rookie Jesse Winker and Scott Schebler, as well as a capable fifth man in Phillip Ervin.

Winker was scratched from Friday's starting lineup with a sore right shoulder and Schebler's been absent since taking a pitch off his right elbow on April 1.

"Might be a day or two before he'll be able to get back in the lineup in an optimistic world," Price said of Winker. "But he'll have to respond to treatment well in the next 24-48 hours before we can consider him a guy that we can get back in the lineup. Probably best to say day-to-day."

Schebler's getting close.

"I think he's very close to being able to play again but until we sit down with him directly and lay out a map for that which will happen today, I'd rather not say," Price said when asked about a possible rehab assignment for Schebler.